We all know that being at Magnet is very stressful, from all the quizzes and tests to the piling up homework, it can be hard to destress after a school day. One thing that can help is our cuddly friends. In this spotlight, we will take a look at some of the pets our students have and what makes them all unique!

First up, we have Kate Selvitelli, a senior at Magnet. She has a cat named Hattie, who got her name because she’s a Siberian cat and her name means “ruler of the house” in Russian. Very fitting for a cat. Kate has had Hattie for 9 years now, and her parents got Hattie due to the family missing having a pet after their dog sadly passed away. They chose a cat over another dog because her parents couldn’t take care of another dog as easily as they could a cat. Kate’s favorite quirk about Hattie is that she always sits funny, as showcased in her picture. Hattie’s favorite treat is Temptations Creamy Puree with Chicken Lickable Cat Treats; however, her favorite treat has yet to be enough to get her to learn any tricks. Keep working on it Hattie, you’ll get there! Kate says the most annoying thing about Hattie is that she wakes her up by biting her hand, so she is forced to pet her.

Next, we have Bea McCrary, a Sophomore at Magnet. She has a dog named Bear. She says she picked this name because when Bear was a puppy, he looked like a fuzzy bear cub. Bea has had Bear for 1 year and 5 months, and she got him because he was a rescue that came to her family. Bea’s favorite quirk about Bear is that he loves to smile. Bea says that Bear knows how to high-five, spin, and crawl. Very impressive Bear! His favorite snack is Peanut Butter and bananas, which is a great choice. Bea says the most annoying thing Bear does is that he likes to bark, which in retorospeak isn’t too bad. Bear seems like a good boy, I mean, just look at him.

Now we have Judd Waggoner, another Sophomore at Magnet. He has a turtle named Jordyn Bell. He says he picked the name because he likes Michael Jordan and bells, which makes sense. Judd has had Jordyn for 3 years, and he picked him because he was feisty but fun. Judd’s favorite quirk about Jordyn is that he runs into walls and isn’t very smart; he’s trying his best. Judd’s trick is that he can flip upside down and float for hours! I’m sure he holds the world record. Judd’s favorite treat is bacon, which is a surprise because he’s a turtle, but to each their own. Judd says the most annoying thing about him is that he bites, but I’m sure it’s not without reason.

Then we have Molly Janech, who’s a Sophomore at Magnet. She has a snake named Apollo. Molly says that she picked the name because she was really into space during that time and named him after the Apollo mission. Molly has had Apollo for 6 years, and she got him because she and her mom both really like snakes. Molly’s favorite quirk about him is that he likes to sleep a lot like she does, and he is nocturnal, so he stays up late with her. Apollo’s favorite snack is a frozen mouse, and Molly says the most annoying thing about him is that he has stinky poops and has even pooped on her before. He’s just a boy.

Now we have Zoe Carter, a Sophomore at Magnet. She has a crested gecko named Siu Long. She says that they picked the name because it means “little dragon” in her mom’s native language. Zoe has had Siu Long for 2 months, and she chose him because she loves reptiles and crested geckos are “just the cutest things ever”. Zoe’s favorite quirk about Siu is that he likes to explore his enclosure at night, but it keeps her up with how loud he can be. Siu Long’s favorite snack is live crickets, and his most annoying trait is that he is very jumpy.

Then we have Julia Koch, a Senior here at Magnet. She has a dog named Charlotte, but they call her shart. How cute! Julia says they chose this name because Charlotte is a little special, and apparently, she looks like a shart.  Julia has had her for 10 years, and she picked her because she was all by herself, and she was just different. Julia says her favorite quirk about Charlotte is that she runs into walls and kicks dirt after peeing. Charlotte knows how to high-five and fist-bump, and her favorite treat is Greenies or clothes. Clothes are certainly an interesting choice. Julie says that the most annoying thing about Charlotte is that she eats her clothes and gets on the couch, so Julie has to yell at Charlotte through their Ring camera. Just look at Charlotte, she’s just a little cutie.

Last but not least, we have an honorable mention, Harrison Babinchak, a Freshman at Magnet. He had a pet hamster named Nugget. He says he picked that name because he was debating between names with his brother, but his brother really wanted to name the hamster nugget, so he paid Harrison 20 dollars to name him. Harrison had him for 2 years, and they picked Nugget because Harrison’s brother paid him another 10 dollars to choose which hamster they got.  Harrison’s favorite quirk about Nugget was that he dug tunnels in the foam on the first floor of his house. Nugget’s favorite treat was apple pieces, and the most annoying thing about him was all the cleaning they had to do for him. For the picture, Harrison just found a hamster that looks similar to what Nugget did.

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Well, it’s safe to say that these cuddly little guys certainly help these students relax after a hard day, even if they nip, paw, jump, or are very talkative. Stay tuned to see more of our friends in part 2!